A striking yet light-hearted exterior makes the new
building a welcome landmark in downtown Santa Monica.

The new Step Up on 5th building provides a home, support
services and rehabilitation for the homeless and mentally disabled
population.

Photo: John Edward Linden

Photo: John Edward Linden

Custom water jet anodized aluminum panels on the main facade
creates a dramatic screen that sparkles in the sun and glows at
night, while also acting as sun protection and privacy screens. The
material reappears as a strategic arrangement of screens on east
and south-facing walls, lending a subtle rhythm to the exterior
circulation walkways and stairs.

The small-scale elements on the facade enhance the existing
streetscape and promote a lively pedestrian environment. By
visually breaking up the facade into smaller articulated elements,
the building appears to move with the passing cars and
people.

At the second level above the retail space two private courtyards
provide residents with a secure and welcoming surrounding while
connecting directly to 5th street and downtown Santa Monica via a
secured stairway integrated into the building storefront at street
level.

Photo: John Edward Linden

Photo: John Edward Linden

Photo: arcspace

Community rooms are located on every other floor of the project
overlooking the private courtyards protected from the street. These
community rooms along with the private courtyards serve as the
principal social spaces for the tenants of the building.

The planning and design of Step Up on 5th emerged from close
consideration and employment of passive solar design strategies.
These strategies include: locating and orienting the building to
control solar cooling loads; shaping and orienting the building for
exposure to prevailing winds; shaping the building to induce
buoyancy for natural ventilation; designing windows to maximize day
lighting; shading south facing windows and minimizing west-facing
glazing; designing windows to maximize natural ventilation; shaping
and planning the interior to enhance daylight and natural air flow
distribution. These passive strategies alone make this building 50%
more efficient than a conventionally designed structure.

The new structure provides 46 studio apartments of permanent
affordable housing. The project also includes ground level
commercial/retail space and subterranean parking.